The Icy Web of Desire
by SunnyInOregon
Summary: The heat of her tears began to melt his frozen heart.
1. Chapter 1

The Icy Web of Desire (thank you, Kelli C. for the title)

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I'm just playing with them.

Turning his SUV into the driveway he slammed on the brakes and slid to a stop inches from the back of the orange Cadillac that was parked in the way. Dave frowned as he shut off the engine and consoled his upset lab who had slipped off the seat at the abrupt stop. He stared at the back of the car in front of him wondering why its owner would risk her fool neck to drive out to his cabin in this weather. It had been snowing for days and under the snow was a layer of ice. Dave had slid a few times in his SUV on the way to the cabin.

He opened his door and shivered at the blast of cold air which greeted him. Tromping up to the driver's door of the monstrosity in his driveway he tapped on the window. When the window didn't open he grabbed the handle; the door was locked. He cleared off the window and peered inside the car, it was empty. Frowning deeper he looked around. The ongoing snowfall had obliterated any footsteps that had been made recently.

"Come on Mudgie," he said to the dog that was bouncing around trying to catch snowflakes. They trudged through the snow to the front door of the cabin. Dave grabbed the handle and found it was still locked. He pulled the keys out of his pocket and opened the door. Mudgie bounded through the open door and ran to his bed in front of the cold, dark fireplace.

"Penelope?" Dave called out. Silence greeted him in return. Apparently she hadn't broken in, but where was she? He wandered towards the back of the cabin; an unusual object on the back deck caught his attention. He rushed to the back door and flung it open. Penelope sitting on a deck chair was covered in a layer of snow. Panic filled his heart as his first thought was she had frozen to death. A groan from her unmoving body prodded him into action.

"Are you flipping crazy?" he scolded as he reached her side. Her eyes popped open and he could see her shivering. "What are you doing out here?" 

She sat up stiffly and shook the snow off. "I was waiting for you," she stuttered. Dave brushed the pile of flakes from atop her head.

He grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet and inside the building. "Why didn't you wait in the car?" he asked as he closed the back door.

"I locked my keys inside," she muttered as she stared at the floor. She hugged her arms around her waist as she shivered.

"Oh Kitten," he sighed. "You should have broken into the cabin."

She gasped. "I couldn't do that – it's illegal!"

He nearly laughed at the look of indignation on her face. "And hacking computers isn't?"

"It's not the same," she grumbled as she stood shivering in the kitchen.

He rubbed her arms with his gloved hands. "We need to get you warmed up. Did you bring a change of clothes?"

She pouted at him. "Also locked in the car."

He half smiled at her. "I'll get it open. Meanwhile, why don't you take a shower?"

"You're not going to hurt Esther, are you?" she demanded her eyes open wide and a look of terror on her face.

Dave placed his hand over his heart. "I promise that your car shall remain unharmed. I have a slimjim in my SUV."

She frowned at him. "How is a piece of meat going to help you unlock my car?"

Dave laughed. "This slimjim is what tow truck drivers use to open car doors. It's a piece of metal not meat."

"Oh," she said lightly. "I knew that."

He chuckled again as he began unbuttoning her jacket. "The bathroom is over there," he stated nodding his head to the right. "You go get in the shower. I'll put your bag inside the door and start a fire. You want some coffee?"

"I don't want to trouble you," she said as she slipped the jacket off her shoulders.

Dave took the jacket from her trembling hands. "You will never be trouble to me. Now go get yourself in the shower. Help yourself to whatever you need."

He watched her toddle over to the bathroom. He waited until he heard the water turn on before walking to the front room and hanging up her jacket. One look at the dog asleep on his bed and Dave knew he was heading outside alone. Zipping his jacket up to his neck he went outside.

After grabbing the slimjim from the back of his SUV, he quickly unlocked the ancient Cadillac. He retrieved the keys from the ignition then opened the trunk and picked up the large overnight case. A few minutes later he was back in the cabin with her bag as well as his own. Cracking the bathroom door open he was instantly enveloped by the fragrance of a more feminine soap. She must have opened one of the new bottles he kept under the sink because he didn't recognize that fragrance. Fighting the sudden urge to join her under the warm water, he slid her case inside then closed the door again.

He was in the kitchen making soup and sandwiches to go with the coffee when she exited the bathroom. Pen was wrapped in a fluffy pink robe and matching slippers. Dave smiled to himself as he silently wondered what she was wearing or not wearing under the robe. He cursed himself for letting his mind wander.

"Brr, it's still chilly out here," she noted as she joined him in the kitchen.

"That's because I forgot to start the fire," Dave admitted. He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the front room then pushed her into an oversized chair. She watched as he opened a wooden trunk and pulled out a thick blanket. Dave spread the blanket over her lap and made certain her feet were covered too. "There, that should keep you warm while I get the fire going."

"How am I going to eat like this?" she asked. "You are feeding me too, right?"

He paused in his fire-making to frown at her. "Of course I am. Let me get this fire started then I will bring you some food and drink."

"I can eat at the table," she protested.

"I insist," he replied. "Let me take care of you. You just sit back and enjoy it."

He lit a match and held it under the paper he had crumpled and piled in the hearth. It burned slowly warming the small pieces of kindling that Dave piled on until they too caught fire. Dave added larger and larger pieces until he was able to get three good sized logs on the fire and they started to crackle and pop with the flames. He stepped back and placed a wire screen across the front to keep embers from jumping out.

"There now that should warm us up," he announced.

"You don't have a furnace in this place?" Pen asked as she snuggled under the blanket.

He chuckled. "Sometimes I don't have electricity in this place. Tonight may be one of those nights if this snow continues."

"No electricity?" she repeated in wonder.

"Yep," he said as he walked towards the kitchen. "You may have had the last of the hot showers."

"I'm sorry," she called out remorsefully.

He returned a few minutes later carrying a tray filled with food and drinks for the both of them. He removed a mug of coffee, a sandwich and soup placing them on the coffee table then settled the tray on Pen's lap.

"You thought of everything," she giggled as she noted the packets of sugar and cream as well as a small pile of crackers.

"I try to please my guests," he replied.

"If this is how you treat your guests I can't figure out how you are divorced. Surely, you treat your wives even better?"

Dave snorted. "Trust me; I haven't always been like this."

"No?"

"No," he agreed shaking his head. "Eat your soup before it gets cold."

They ate in relative silence except for the crackling of the fire and the snores of the dog.

"More coffee?" Dave asked as he stood to clear their dishes.

"Sure," Pen agreed.

Dave returned after washing the dishes with a fresh cup of coffee for both of them. He handed her a mug which she placed on the table to her left then stirred the fire and added another log. When he finished he sat on the footstool right in front of Penelope and looked at her thoughtfully. Under his watchful gaze Penelope started fidgeting while he continued to stare at her without speaking.

"Stop staring at me!" she wailed.

"I'm waiting," he replied casually.

"Waiting? For what?"

"I'm waiting for you to tell me why you risked your fool neck to drive out to my cabin," he explained allowing a tinge of anger to color his voice.

She shifted uncomfortably. "I'd rather not talk about it," she said softly.

"Wrong answer," he stated allowing his anger to come through. "You are going to talk about it and you're going to talk about it right now."

She sank back in the chair pulling the blanket up to her chin. She peered at him for several seconds then sighed loudly. "You're not going to let it go, are you? Of course, you're not. What was I thinking?"

Dave took a sip from his mug and continued to watch her in silence.

"Fine," she huffed. She tossed the blanket onto her lap and reached for her own mug of coffee. She took a tentative sip then looked at him in awe. "You added cream and sugar for me? It's perfect."

"I pay attention to details and you're stalling."

"I am," she agreed with a nod of her head. "It seems a little silly now."

Dave laid a hand on her knee. "It's not silly. Nothing is silly if it propels you to do something drastic."

Penelope sucked in a deep breath and Dave could see the tears that started forming in her eyes. "I'm just tired; so tired of everything. I'm tired of Kevin trying to convince me to leave the FBI and buy a farm. I'm tired of Derek saying he loves me and yet never acting on it. I'm tired of being overlooked and underappreciated."

Dave watched the tears stream down her flushed round cheeks while she hugged her mug to her chest and sucked in one wobbly breath after another. She appeared to be on the brink of completely breaking down. With a sigh, he placed his mug on the table and gently pried the one out of Penelope's hands placing it next to his own. He stood up and lifted the blanket that covered her.

"Scoot over," he ordered.

She blinked at him then slid to the left. Dave slipped into the space next to her and covered them both with the blanket before pulling her into his arms. Penelope sat there stiffly for several seconds before allowing her body to relax in his embrace. Her arms slid around his waist as she cuddled against his chest.

"You deserve better, Penelope," he whispered into her freshly washed hair. He felt his body tighten in response to the way she smelled and the way she felt in his arms. He had tried to deny it for so long. He had wrapped an icy web around his heart in an attempt to shield himself from the inevitable feelings he had for her. Unknowingly she seemed bent on breaking through that icy web. She deserved better than Kevin that was for sure. Morgan had no idea what he was losing and Dave sure as hell was going to enlighten him.

There were so many reasons that he himself should turn tail and run. She was young and beautiful whereas he was past his prime and tired. He had made the mistake twice of pursuing the wrong woman but something deep in his soul told him this one was worth pursuing. She shivered in his arms and he pulled her a little closer. Now all he had to do was show her how much he already cared.

End Part 1


	2. Chapter 2

The Icy Web of Desire (thank you, Kelli C. for the title)

Disclaimer: I don't own them; I'm just playing with them.

It was the first time in years that Dave could remember sleeping platonically with a woman. After an hour in the oversized chair Dave had convinced Penelope that it would be a good idea to spend the rest of the night in his comfortable king sized bed. She agreed and followed him without protest. As she removed the robe and climbed into his bed he realized he was going to have one hell of a fight with his inner demons. Penelope was wearing a silky thigh length nightgown that left just enough to the imagination to keep him awake half the night.

He grabbed his pajamas and locked himself in the bathroom to change clothes and attend to his other nightly routines all the while reminding himself that she was off limits and not interested in him that way. After fifteen minutes he returned to the bedroom to find her already in the land of nod. He put his day clothes away and slipped into the bed as well. Lying on his side facing her, he watched her sleep long into the night.

When Dave awoke he was flat on his back. Pen had thrown a leg over his thigh and her hand was resting on his belly underneath the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Dave had one hand around her waist, his face buried in her hair and his other hand resting on her ample bosom. He took a moment to savor the feel of her breast in his hand before gently pulling away. Carefully, he slipped out of the bed and made his way quietly to the bathroom. He took a lukewarm shower to calm his raging libido.

Climbing out of the shower he could hear Mudgie sniffing at the door connected to the kitchen area. Mudgie knew that Dave was awake and would be waiting for his morning walk and some breakfast. Dave towel dried his hair and body before shaving, brushing his teeth and combing his hair. It was then that he realized he had left his clothes in the other room. Wrapping a towel around his waist he walked back into the bedroom. Penelope was snuggled under the blankets as she lay in the middle of the bed. She turned to look at him. He could feel himself harden again under the thin towel as she gazed at his naked torso. Then her eyes slowly dropped to his waist.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied blandly.

She made an exaggerated shiver and tucked the blankets tighter to her shoulders. "Brr, it's too cold for me."

"I'm a hot-blooded Italian. It takes longer for me to cool down," he informed her.

"Well I'm not," she grumbled. "I'm staying under the nice warm covers until there is a little more heat in this place."

Dave half-smiled at her. "Unfortunately for me, Mudgie knows I am up and will be expecting his morning walk and breakfast. I'll stoke up the fire and try to warm the house up for you."

"Wait," she cried as he turned away from her.

"What?" He opened a dresser drawer and began sifting through his clothes.

"You're going to leave me here all by myself?" she asked tremulously.

He glanced at her. "Unless you want to come along…"

She sighed and threw the covers back. "I'm going to need to use the bathroom and get dressed," she grumbled. "I might need some coffee as well."

He watched as she climbed out of the bed the edge of her nightgown bunched around the top of her thighs displaying her creamy skin. Dave groaned inwardly and closed his eyes willing the image to leave.

"Can I have ten minutes?" Penelope asked.

Dave re-opened his eyes and looked at her. She had her robe wrapped on and her suitcase in one hand as she stood at the bathroom door.

"Take your time," Dave said softly. "I'll let Mudgie out back for a few minutes. Then we can all have breakfast before our walk."

"Sounds good," she smiled at him before entering the bathroom.

Dave dressed quickly as the cold air was beginning to seep into his skin. In the kitchen he started the coffee while Mudgie took care of his business in the backyard, and then he coaxed the embers in the fireplace back to life as he added some kindling and a few larger pieces of wood. By the time Penelope came out, Mudgie was eating breakfast and Dave had started preparing theirs. A steaming cup of coffee was sitting on the counter waiting for her.

"So I noticed that there was no television in the front room," Pen said as they washed the dishes together after they had finished eating.

"That's right," Dave agreed airily. "No television, no radio – sometimes I bring my laptop. However, there is no internet out here."

She stared at him with her mouth open.

"What do you do out here?" she asked in horrified fascination.

"Well… fishing, hunting, sometimes the pup and I just go for a walk," he smiled.

She continued to stare in horror. "What if the weather is really bad or you're just too tired for all that outdoorsy stuff?"

He shrugged. "Have a drink and watch the fire or just stare out the window and take in the wonder of nature at its finest."

She snapped her jaw shut and pouted at him. "Now you're making fun of me."

"A little," he admitted with a chuckle. "If I'm in a really crazy mood – I write."

"**I'm** going to go crazy," she whispered as she slowly turned around and really looked at the small cabin she had sequestered herself in.

Dave chuckled again as he poured them both a fresh cup of coffee. "Relax," he soothed as he handed her the cup. "Take a deep breath. I'm here with you. That's not so bad, right?"

She looked at the cup for a minute before meeting his eyes. "I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be," she admitted.

The edge of his mouth curled up. "Did you bring some boots?" he asked changing the subject.

"Boots?" she repeated.

"For walking in the snow," he reminded her.

"It hasn't melted?" she half asked, half prayed.

Dave laughed. "Sorry sweetheart, it has not. In fact we got about six inches overnight and we'll probably get more this afternoon."

"How long do you think it will continue?" she asked with a tremor in her voice.

"We may have to leave your car here for a while," he answered carefully.

"I can't leave Esther here," she cried as she started to panic. Dave reached over and stroked her arm soothingly.

"We'll put Esther in the garage," he assured her. "She'll be fine there. But we don't have to worry about it right now. The weather could change tomorrow."

"We could have a freaking blizzard, you mean," she said hotly.

"Penelope," Dave said calmly. "You didn't think about that before you came up here?"

She stared at him with a stricken look on her face. Slowly she shook her head. "I guess I wasn't really thinking except that I wanted to get out of town and I knew you said you were coming out here no matter what the weather was like. I guess I should have thought things through better. I know it's late to say this but I am sorry for intruding."

He sipped at his coffee and stared at her thoughtfully. "You're always welcome here," he said at last.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I guess I should have stayed in bed since I can't go with you."

"You can still go; I have some boots that will probably fit you."

She raised a delicate eyebrow at him. "If you haven't noticed my feet are smaller than yours."

"Oh I noticed," he teased.

"Oh," she gasped then batted her eyelids at him. A flirty smile graced her lips. "Leftovers from an ex-wife or old girlfriend?"

"Actually I think one of my sisters left them here," he told her.

"You have sisters?" she asked incredulously.

"This surprises you?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I never imagined you having siblings."

"My parents were Italian and Catholic; multiple children were inevitable."

"How many children did they have?" she asked as he walked out of the room towards the front door.

"All of them," he laughed.

"Oh yeah, you're a funny man," she grumbled.

Dave sorted through a box of shoes located near the front door. He found a pair of white and green rubber muck boots and a pair of hiking boots. He pulled out both pairs and carried them to the kitchen. "If neither of these work we could stuff the toes with newspapers and you can wear extra socks to make mine fit."

"I'm going to need to borrow some socks," she stated as she looked over both pairs of boots.

"Top drawer of the dresser," he replied. "Help yourself."

Penelope grabbed both sets of boots and carried them into the bedroom. Dave rinsed out their coffee cups and set them on the counter. He checked the fire, placing another log in the hearth before pulling on his own hiking boots. He had just finished tying the laces when Penelope came out of the bedroom wearing the hiking boots.

She waved the muck boots at him. "These didn't fit."

He grabbed the boots and tossed them into the box. "You need a jacket?"

"You have one of those that will fit me too?"

"You wouldn't believe the things I have that would fit you," he murmured. He found a suitable jacket for her and helped her to put it on. As he grabbed his own jacket Mudgie got up from his bed and joined them at the door. Dave opened the door and let him bound out into the snow.

"Ooh its cold out here," Penelope observed. It had stopped snowing. The air was so cold it crystallized with each puff of their breath.

"Wait for me," Dave warned as she neared the steps.

"Afraid I will fall down the steps?" she laughed.

"Yes," he replied succinctly as he stepped up next to her and grabbed her hand. He didn't let go when they reached the ground. He led her up the driveway to the road where Mudgie was waiting. "Lead on, Pup!"

His fingers laced with hers as they slowly walked up the snow covered road. They walked in silence for a few minutes – the only sound was the crunch of snow under their feet. Mudgie led the way bouncing from one snow drift to another until he was completely covered in snow.

"It looks deserted out here," Penelope muttered.

"It usually is this time of the year," Dave told her. "My neighbors are few and far between and they rarely come out in the winter."

"Perfect place for a serial killer," she frowned.

"Luckily for you I can recognize a serial killer from a long ways away."

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I am pretty lucky."

The road narrowed trickling into a trail. They continued holding hands as they walked. Snow covered the trees and nearly obliterated the trail. Several minutes went by as they foraged deeper into the wooded area with Mudgie leading the way.

"I wish I had a camera with me," Penelope said softly. Dave looked at her inquiringly. "It's so beautiful out here."

Dave stopped walking, gasped and clutched a hand to his chest. "Stop the world! Penelope Garcia is enjoying the great outdoors."

"Very funny," she said as she smiled wryly at him. "I enjoy nature – I just don't enjoy being out in it very much."

"Stick with me kid I'll show you all the good parts," he teased and immediately regretted using the word kid. He hoped that she would ignore it.

They continued their walk pausing every now and then as Dave pointed out birds and small animals in the brush. Suddenly Penelope stopped and stared at a spot through the trees. Dave squinted as he peered through the branches trying to locate whatever had caught her attention.

"What are you looking at?" he asked finally.

She pointed through the trees. "There's a funny looking icicle hanging between those trees over there."

Finally spotting the object of her attention Dave smiled gently. "That's not an icicle sweetheart," he said softly. "It's a spider web covered in snow."

"It's amazing," she said breathlessly.

"Let's get a closer look," Dave suggested as he tugged her to follow him into the brush.

"Don't hurt it," Penelope ordered.

"I said look – not take apart," he reminded her. They stopped a few feet away and stared at the white covered web.

"It's even prettier up close," she whispered.

"Just like you," Dave told her.

She frowned at him. "Did you just compare me to a spider web? Wait! What? You think I'm pretty?"

He squeezed her hand. "Inside and out," he vowed.

"Oh David…" she said tenderly. They stared at one another for several seconds.

Dave slowly moved closer to her. "I'm going to kiss you," he warned her. 

"It's about time," she replied just as his mouth covered hers. As they kissed the snow began to fall again.


End file.
